Repurposing Magazines: Awesome Coaster

Yes, I still have a TON of magazines so you might see these tutorials pop up so I can get rid of them :) This time we're going to make coasters. They're super easy, fun and they add a little flair to your coffee table while protecting from drips and sweat rings.

Materials:
Magazine
Elmer's glue
Hot glue

Start by cutting or ripping a few pages of your magazine into approximately 1" strips. They don't have to be exactly the same size, but should be close. (If you have leftovers from the bead tutorial, feel free to use those) Cut your strips in half lengthwise. Each coaster uses 14 strips so make sure you have 14 x # of coasters you want to make.

Step 1 Fold each strip in half so they're skinnier, not shorter. Take your Elmer's and glue as you fold to give
the coasters some reinforcement.

Step 2 After the glue has dried a little, take 2 strips and glue them in a "L" shape with your hot glue gun. Notice how the vertical strip is on the back side of the horizontal strip. You're going to alternate which side you glue your strips on the horizontal so pay attention to how you start out.








Step 3 Start gluing your 7 strips along the bottom and alternate which side you glue them to. I flipped the whole project each time I glued a new strip so that I
could glue it on top and I didn't get my pattern mixed up.





Step 4 When you've gotten your base glued, grab another strip and glue it along the vertical strip just above where your base sits. Weave under and over along the vertical strips until you've woven through all of them. Be sure to glue as you go so your coaster doesn't fall apart on you. Trim off the excess at the end of the row.

Step 5 Continue until you have all of your strips woven and glued in. Trim off the extras at the top when you finish. And now you have a coaster set. They're super easy to make and you won't feel too bad if you have to toss them. They make great Christmas presents too if you're on a budget.

Don't forget to keep the extra strips because I have a feeling we'll be using them again. Happy crafting!